


A Bit of a Misunderstanding

by BeyondFandoms



Series: Radio Science [1]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Autistic Cecil, Cute Ending, I love my autistic boys, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-19 22:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11322567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeyondFandoms/pseuds/BeyondFandoms
Summary: Old Woman Josie is concerned for Cecil's relationship with Carlos. Cecil, however, shares no such concern.





	A Bit of a Misunderstanding

**Author's Note:**

> This was based off of a prompt from [auideas on Tumblr](https://auideas.tumblr.com). The prompt can be found in a list here: [[X](http://auideas.tumblr.com/post/117383235597/do-you-by-any-chance-have-any-polyamorous-aus)]

Cecil sat down in a chair across from Old Woman Josie. He had agreed to meet with her after work — though it wasn't their usual day — because she'd said she had something very important to discuss with him. Old Woman Josie poured some them both some tea and offered him a cup. He accepted it more out of politeness this time, as he felt a bit too nervous to really drink it. Old Woman Josie rarely sounded as serious as she had on the phone that day, and never had she deferred telling him the issue before.

Cecil took a deep breath. "So, what is this about?"

"Well," Old Woman Josie began, "It's about you and it's about Carlos."

"What _about_ me and Carlos?"

"Cecil, honey, this isn't easy for me to say and it probably won't be easy for you to take, but..." She trailed off, attempting to find a _nice_ way to voice her suspicions.

"But what?"

"Well... I think Carlos is cheating on you, Cecil."

Cecil's blood ran cold. His heart missed a beat or two. He felt as if he was filling with ice, cold and sharp and painful. He dropped his cup; glass shattered and tea splashed all over the floor. "He... What?"

"I-I saw him. He was out, seeming to have a grand ol' time with _that man_. They were quite affectionate with each other. I—"

"Who was it?" Cecil interrupted, his tone as cold as he felt.

"Pardon?"

"Who was he with?"

"That bloody Desert Bluffs man. The one who also does radio? Kevin, I think his name is?"

Life stilled for a moment, neither Cecil nor Old Woman Josie talking or moving or doing anything at all, save breathing. Then, Cecil began to laugh. It was a big laugh, loud and altogether confusing to Old Woman Josie. Even in a strange place like Night Vale, people normally didn't _laugh_ when they were told their husband was cheating on them.

"What-what's so funny?" she asked.

Cecil did his best to compose himself, though still had to force his words through a bit of laughter. He couldn't _believe_ he'd ever been worried! " _Of course_ Carlos was out with Kevin! I already _knew_ they've been seeing each other."

"And that- You're not worried about that?"

"Not in the slightest! Why would I be?"

"Because your _husband_ is seeing another man?"

"Yeah, that's been going on for a while now. It's not like it's a secret or anything. We're all in a relationship. We live together, sorta raise Khoshekh together. How did you not know about this?"

"How did I–? Well it's not like you make it a big deal like you always have about Carlos!"

"I'm assuming I should start saying, then, that I'm going home to my husband and my husband's boyfriend?" He ends his statement with a final bit of laughter, having finally gotten over the hilarity of the whole situation.

"Your husband's boyfriend? So you're not dating Kevin, too, then?"

"Well, not currently, no."

"Currently?"

"I mean, I've been thinking about it. Kevin– I like Kevin. I do." Cecil's face flushed a slight purple hue. He always got a bit embarrassed talking about crushes with Old Woman Josie. He felt like a fifteen-year-old talking to his mother when it came to these things. "I– I  _really_ like him, but I don't know about this. I mean– It– He's–" Cecil buried his face in hands, making a small noise of frustration.

"Now, now, calm down, Cecil," Old Woman Josie said. "You know when you get worked up, you can't talk right. Then you get frustrated and go nonverbal. Just have a minute and calm down."

She refrained from touching him, aware that even comforting gestures may be a bit much right now. Shutdowns could quickly lead to meltdowns if handled improperly. A few minutes passed by, then Cecil finally peeked up at her. "Ready to try again?" she asked.

Cecil nodded, took a breath, and attempted to relay his thoughts again. "I like Kevin. I like him... almost like I like Carlos." Cecil hated how he sounded like a twelve-year-old, but smaller words were easier to grasp at the moment.

"Almost?"

"Yeah. I mean, I  _love_ Carlos. And I– I like Kevin. I think it could be love like I have for Carlos, but I'm not sure. And I don't wanna rush it, y'know? But I wanna give it a shot. I do. I'm just... I don't know, I guess I'm jist  _nervous_ , and I'm not used to being nervous like this. It's not like social interaction nervous or loud sounds nervous or too many things nervous. It's more like 'everything could go wrong and I do not want to be the reason it does' nervous. So, I dunno, I guess..."

"Oh, Cecil, honey, it's okay. Love is an anxious thing. But it can be worth it."

"And if it isn't?"

"Do you really love Carlos?"

"Yes."

"Do you really like Kevin?"

"Yes."

"Then it's worth it. Talk things out with both of them first. Make sure they know you're trying to test the waters here. Let them know your concerns and I'm sure they assuage them. Communication is just as — if not  _more_ — important when there's more than two, y'know."

"I know, I know. Thank you, Old Woman Josie, for, uh, for having this talk with me." Cecil grinned.

"Of course, of course. Now, get yourself on home and get to those boys of yours!"

**Author's Note:**

> Check me out on Tumblr! [[X](https://lessonsinsilence.tumblr.com)]


End file.
